Sunday, February 26, 2012

I have been purchasing linen for as long as I can remember, primary for kitchen and dining use and for the bath, however in the last five years I have been changing over my entire wardrobe and now most of my clothes are linen as well.Next will be my bedding!

Linen has many check marks for enthusiasts like me. I love the look, the texture and the health benefits, check out the link below.

Linen is also ideal to pat dry your face. That's because linen absorbs more water than any other fabric eliminating excessive over-drying. Using all linen towels in my own bathroom, I can tell you I would never go back to any other kind of towel fabric--in fact I even travel with my own linen towel.

Made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum, linen is labor-intensive to manufacture (thus the expense), but when made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather.

Dating back to about 8000 BC, linen textiles are some of the oldest in the world, however, dyed flax fibers found in a prehistoric cave in Georgia suggest the use of linen fabrics from wild flax may date back even earlier to 36,000 BC.

In ancient Egyptmummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth.

Today linen is produced in many countries. Flax used for linen production is grown in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and China, but high quality fabrics still come from niche producers in Ireland, Italy and Belgium, and also in countries including Poland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Britain, Kochi in India and in the USA primarily for the upholstery market.

Friday, February 17, 2012

I have no complaints about winter this year, it
has been relatively mild and despite the biggest snowfall of the season this
past week, it's melting fast. There
should be one more snow around March 12th, then we will be done for the winter. I know this because that's my birthday and Mother
Nature has given me a present every year since I can remember!

All while we all patiently wait for spring to
arrive, now is the perfect time for some research and decision making on what
will go into my herb garden this year.

I just purchased a fabulous new book to help
with my research, it's called: The Herbal Medicine-Makers Handbook. It is a compilation of natural home remedies
by James Green, a renowned herbalists. He discusses growing and harvesting herbs
and includes many DIY remedies. Green is
the Director of the California School of Herbal Studies and routinely conducts
workshops in eco-plant harvesting and herbal medicine-making,

Some of my favourite topics that Green covers is
a suggestion to get to know a few good herbs, study them and learn everything
you can about them. He also discusses gardening
and harvesting, drying and storing herbs.
And delves into ointments, salves and balms, lotions and creams and
water therapy to name a few. Twenty-six
chapters to guide interested herbal medicine-makers like me.

One Amazon reader has this to say...

Finally a book that takes
the magic of herbs and adds a healthy dose of structure, science and common
sense. As a beginning herbalist, I find the information contained in the book
extremely useful and not found in many other places. This book has earned its
place on my favorite list.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

This is one of my favourite times of the year, not only because
every flower shop is brimming with roses, the spas are bustling with gift
certificate clients, but there are feelings
of love in the air.

From love letters sent from the Tower of London, which have come
to be known as the world's first valentine, carefully displayed among the royal
papers in the British Museum, the pagan origins which celebrated the Roman
feast of Luperclia to Pope Gelasius (496 AD) initiating a day of celebration
for St. Valentine who was later beheaded all in the name of love, the origins
of this special day are a great story in themselves. My favourite is from medieval folklore which celebrated
February 14th as the day when birds were said to have chosen their mates.

Being
a big fan of history and the genesis of special events this is pretty heady
stuff. And any special day that dates
back to pagan times and has endured throughout history works for me. But after all, it is all about love!

To
help enjoy this special day, here are a few wonderful soaks just for Valentine's
Day.

Romance
is in the air and the tub!

250 ml
of Champagne

100
grams of Dead Sea Salt (of you can substitute Epson Salts)

teaspoons
of honey

a few
drops of your favourite essential oil

Slightly
heat the honey and mix all the ingredients together and pour into your
bath. Oh yes and you know what to do the
remainder of the Champagne!

Strawberry
Delight

This
soak will treat your skin to all the vitamins and exfoliating acids found in
this delectable treat.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

I just received an order from a
distributor I regularly buy from that included a very large container of coconut
oil. This is going to last me forever!

The benefits of coconut oil is the
current chatter in the Spa world.
Coconut oil appears to be the latest "go to" treatment because of its
antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing qualities. It is also totally
natural, affordable and for most people allergen-free. My last massage included coconut oil infused
with several heavenly essential oils--yum!

I purchased it mainly because I
live in a semi-arid climate and at this time of year, no matter what I do, I
have desperately dry skin and hair. I
have only used it for a few days and my skin already feels extra-ordinarily
soft and my hair, well it looks and feels pretty good as well!

How can something used for furniture
polish and cooking be good for hair, or you're face for that matter? Well it seems like many 'cupboard to face'
products, what's good on the inside, is good on the outside as well.

Melissa
Williams, RYT and Co-Owner Yoga Junction
says, "Lubricants tend
to be relegated to the boudoir, but in reality, a lubricant is anything that
helps moisturize any part of your body—inside or out".

In addition to
being a great hair conditioner coconut oil can also be used in many other
ways...

Eye cream — apply
under the eyes to reduce puffiness, bags, and wrinkles. Use on the lids in the
evening.

Diaper salve — very
comforting on a irritated behind with no harsh chemicals. Also safe for cloth
diapers.

Bug Bites — when
applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning
sensation as well as hasten the healing process.

Digestion — the
saturated fats in coconut oil have anti-bacterial properties that help control,
parasites, and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related
problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in
the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all
around.

Body scrub – mix coconut oil and sugar together and rub all over! Rinse
off and your skin will be super soft! You can add in essential oils if you would
like a specific smell.

Healing – when applied on scrapes and cuts, coconut oil forms a thin,
chemical layer which protects the wound from outside dust, bacteria and virus.
Coconut oil speeds up the healing process of bruises by repairing damaged
tissues.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

I have been working much to hard lately so I
decided it was time for a "me day" and that can only mean one
thing--I headed to the Spa! However I
didn't feel like travelling and I wanted to try something different so I was determined
to find something in my own back yard.

In researching some local spas I came across Qphoria Tanning and Wellness . While I am not a fan of tanning booths,
Qphoria offers a number of other services that are of interest--so I booked in
for a two hour "Day of Detox" ($85). https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=430162311746

It's a treatment that comes in four parts. First you enjoy a session on a vibration
machine, which, as I have blogged about in previous posts, helps to increase
circulation boost your metabolic rate and improve lymphatic drainage helping to eliminate
toxins thus purifying the body. It also helps to build lean muscle mass and
bone density and I know from firsthand experience makes you feel good! This session also included an oxygen session
with a number of wonderful aromatherapy essential oils to choose from.

Once you are fully jiggled, wiggled and well
oxygenated you head to the Hydration Detox Chamber--a new-age version of the
old fashion steam boxes--which gently baths your skin in a dense steamy mist (48
degree C) infused with vitamins and minerals.
This treatment cleanses, removes toxins from fat cells with the
use of infrared lights and re-hydrates your skin leaving it soft, silky and
glowing. They also claim you can burn up
to 300--600 calories per session.

Spa Girl Suggests: drink water both
before and after using the hydration chamber.

By this time you are well on your way to feeling
pretty darn relaxed when you are welcomed by a skilled massage practitioner for
an hour long detox massage which stimulates the lymphatic system to further
flush toxins and purify the body. I am
pretty fussy about massage work and this was the best Spa massage I have ever
had, and seeing that I have experienced many massages over the years in all
parts of the world, that is saying something--I am still raving about it! Thank you Karly!

The massage included a combination of techniques
including relaxation, myo-fascial, Swedish, crania-sacral
and hot stones. Unbelievable!

Ok I am now officially a mush ball!

On the way out you are handed a fabulous pick me up, a delicious smoothie
made with Swiss chard, kale, spinach, blueberries, bananas and organic pomegranate
juice--it quite simply does not get any better! And remember Spa Girls, all this for $85.oo!

Qphoria Tanning
and Wellness Centre says...

We are a full service tanning and wellness salon in
beautiful Kamloops, BC. We hope to inspire beauty from the inside out and offer
tanning, and all our services, as a step towards good health and wellness. Our rooms are large, our equipment high end,
our services well researched, and our prices are fair.The staff of Qphoria
Tanning and Wellness are passionate about customer service, we are friendly,
knowledgeable, and all are Smart Tan Certified.

The wellness
centre is large and almost funky (as in Earthy,
uncomplicated and natural) and at times you
can feel like you are in a Sci-Fi movie with all the amazing equipment.

Their Mission is
simple and straight forward--to provide
incredible customer service in a fun, welcoming atmosphere, where while
offering state of the art equipment, and services at affordable prices.

On all accounts Qphoria lives up to this mission. Indeed,
it is all about the customer! I was also impressed with the owner, Lisa, who
answered a number of questions when I booked my appointment and with the staff, who on my arrival were friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating, answering an
additional endless stream of questions.
And unlike many spas I have visited truly enjoy their work. Thank you Kerry and Anna.

Qphoria is all about inspiring beauty from the
inside out and providing services that lead to good health and wellness. I cannot say enough about this wellness
centre. I definitely intend on returning!

Spa Girls Blog

I created the SPA GIRL blog in 2009 because I wanted to share my spa experiences.
I am a big fan of aromatherapy,
thalassotherapy, spa cuisine and history.
I love to pamper myself, inside and out! And why not? I work hard, travel a lot and find the spa experience exciting each and every time.
Since the beginning of history, people have resorted to springs, baths, and spas for the therapeutic effects and power of their healing waters. Today the Spa experience has expanded to include so many ways to live a happy, healthy, holistic lifestyle.
Relax, rejuvenate, and restore: that’s Spa Girl's motto.
Spa Girl covers a number of my interests including: aromatherapy, home spa treatments, spa modalities, feel good tips, spa destinations, natural products and spa foods.
Spa Girl is also on facebook where in addition to my blogs I post links to other spa writers, spa reviews and tips.
I have studied aromatherapy for a number of years and create my own salt scrubs, bath oils, soaps and skin creams.
I am an avid researcher and love to research all aspects of the spa industry, study and of course try every spa experience there is.
My other passion is art museums.